Bill Paxton (Aliens, Twister, Edge of Tomorrow) is jumping on the bus for at least four episodes to play John Garrett, a steel tough S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who just got welcomed to level 7. Garrett also has a previous connection to Agent Coulson, but it’s the character’s comic book back story (in addition to Paxton’s star power) that really makes this an intriguing addition.

Before we get to that, though, let’s look at what Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. co-showrunner Jed Whedon had to say about Garrett and what the character will bring to the show (via TV Guide):

“We wanted to bring in a rough-and-tumble former cohort of Agent Coulson with a little bit of attitude and cigar-smoking swagger… when Garrett got his promotion to Level 7, he refused to sit behind a desk and doesn’t like the formalities of SHIELD. He’s going to help Coulson solve some mysteries and is not afraid to rig an explosive or two.”

Whether that mystery solving takes the baton from last week’s episode and gives us answers regarding Coulson’s continued existence is unknown. It seems like this Rubik’s cube is a long way from being solved, but Garrett and Coulson may have more in common than a shared history and an employer; Garrett is also special and someone S.H.I.E.L.D. went through extreme measures to protect – at least in the comics where Garrett (who also has a checkered past) is made into a half man/half cyborg after nearly dying while on assignment.

It’s a little more clear cut why S.H.I.E.L.D. went that far with Garrett, though, since it’s later revealed that he was a member of the Zodiac (Great Wheel) with Fury, Dum Dum Dugan, Baron Strucker, and seven others. When it all came to an end, though, Hydra, Leviathan, and S.H.I.E.L.D. would rise – for better or worse – from the Great Wheel’s ashes.

There is no mention about Garrett being part cyborg (or a criminal) and no mention of the Great Wheel right now, so those things could absolutely be pushed aside in the move from paper to television or re-configured in some way, but it makes sense to give Coulson someone that he can relate too in light of his surely frayed emotions following the mid-season premiere’s revelations. It’s also not like Marvel is shy about planning things well advance while tying them into its ever growing cinematic universe.

By the way, that attack that left Garrett battered and in need of transformation was brought down on him by Elektra in the comics, so could Garrett’s introduction tie to her, and could that tie to the upcoming Netflix Daredevil series, assuming she is a part of it in some form? Could the Great Wheel be a part of the S.H.I.E.L.D. heavy Captain America: The Winter Soldier? We’ll have to wait and see, but the very possibility of such grand attachments reminds us of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.‘s great potential to serve as a jumping off point and a crucial part of the intertwined Marvel live-action universe.

Agent Garrett can’t be what Agent Coulson was in phase 1 of MCU… So in the Defenders crossover series Agent Garrett’s “death” can unify the Heroes…. That could lead into Sesaon 3 Agents of SHEILD with Garrett taking over Coulson’s team… And another season of them trying to explain how Garrett survived! In turn All that will lead to me throwing up

Yeah. People seem to forget how decidedly mediocre Arrow was during most if it’s first season. If it had been on a major network instead of the CW I bet there would have been just as much complaining as there is with AoS.

I actually am starting to think that people over estimate how mediocre arrows first season was (personally I thoroughly enjoyed it from the start but I do recognise that it was flawed) or it could just be that the if you actually compare the 2 shows it seemingly improves the quality of arrow and further exposes AoS’s failings
Sure by this point last year arrow had not reach the heights that it has this season, but if you look at the first 10 episode of AoS compared to Arrow it actually shows many of the things that AoS is lacking – overarching plot introduced and progressed, secrets and awesome reveals surrounding the characters (dark archer for instance) but viewers are aware of the secrets and how the pieces link to each other (which builds promise of things to come by seasons end), action was of a high standard, invested time in show why the side characters are significant (diggle was a better character than anyone on Coulsons plane)

The negatives the 2 shows share after 10/11episodes – acting quality leaves something to be desired, and each show didn’t exactly kick off the second half of the season with a brilliant episode

AoS doesn’t have any great hook or suspense for the future – expect for the fact that we have not been shown anything good yet so hopefully they have been saving it for the end of the season
But I have yet to be convinced that AoS is worth its space of the air – have only been watching to find out how Coulson survived may give it till the end of the season

That’s just my two cents
It does hardly seem fair comparing the 2 given the tremendous differences in tone and apparent target audience

Arrow’s first season isn’t mediocre, much like AoS the first half kinda was. People forget the first season of Arrow was 23 episodes long, which feels like 2 seasons.

Arrow also does the two thing AoS refuses to do, actually gives the viewer characters from the comics and advances a story. Aos feels like it’s dragging it’s feet allot on both fronts. From the first episode of Arrow, things felt like they were moving forward and we’re given characters from the comics, even if it wasn’t every week.

I don’t know about a scoop. I read this on Joblo 2 hrs ago. Once again, for all those who don’t pay attention, ratings be damned. Disney has synergy, a film universe complimented by and promoted on a weekly basis. U don’t have to watch it. As long as their are DVRs and On Demand this show will run until there are enough episodes (100) for syndication.
The other thing that ticks me off is people not being aware of what’s going on. For the last time YES THE NETFLIX SHOWS WILL BE PART OF THE M.C.U. ANYTHING DISNEY/MARVEL DO IN FILM & TELEVISION THAT IS LIVE ACTION IS PART OF THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE. ANYTHING MARVEL FROM SONY AND FOX IS NOT. THEY ARE SEPARATE. THAT MEANS THAT ALL MARVEL/DISNEY FILMS (LIVE ACTION) ALL MARVEL/DISNEY TV SHOWS (AoS, the Netflix projects, whatever Agent Carter they’re doing) ARE WHAT MAKE UP THE M.C.U.
You are welcome.

If they were to bring in Zodiac, it would explain the conspiracy going on in Winter Soldier. It would help introduce Baron VonStrucker as Wanda and Pietro’s boss in Age of Ultron, it would tie into the Agent Carter One Shot, which in turn could tie into her series and it could even carry over into Daredevil?! As much hate as AOS gets on Screen Rant, it must be pointed out that on a smaller network it would be given much more lee way.

FINALLY something sounds interesting about this show. Not trying to be a hater or anything, but I was pretty disappointed with the first few episodes a while back, and I just haven’t been able to get hooked since. After hearing about the so-called Coulson “reveal” from last week, I really knew this show wasn’t for me.

My main problem with this show is that they’re trying SO hard to be like the comics, that it seems like they are focusing more on the negative aspects than the good aspects (cheesy dialogue, characters having dramatic deaths only to be unnecessarily brought back to life in really convoluted ways, etc.). The Avengers had a great balance of fun and creativity. This show, however, does not. It’s great that the show has it’s fans and I have no problem with that. It’s just not for me and I genuinely feel like they could have done so much more with it.

That being said, Bill Paxton is an actor I used to love, so I’ll probably check out his episodes.

Paxton is a pretty well known name to casual viewers and he has sci-fi genre recognition as well not only from Aliens, but Near Dark and Predator 2 (he was also in Terminator for about two minutes in the beginning of the film). His addition playing this character might draw some curious viewers in, but the storyline from the comics sounds like it is something that only die-hard comic readers will connect the dots to. And like everything else with this show if they do not actually deliver something of substance, be it from the comics or not, will this just alienate more viewers if the inclusion of this characters goes nowhere or takes too long to get to a payoff.

That is so funny I was just watching Aliens on tv and absolutely found him hilarious. He definitely helped carry the Aliens movie and with his acting refined I’m sure he is capable to carry the show on his own.

Wow what a dud, Paxton is on par with Keanu Reeves acting-wise, very canned delivery. Just watched the finale, he’s gone, and to be honest, everyone on the show is weak. When S.L Jackson finally appeared to make his cameo it was a huge breath of fresh air, he has a lot of weight in his performance that the others do not.